
Two suspects were apprehended on June 9 in connection to a scheme that defrauded a Petersburg senior of tens of thousands of dollars. The men were arrested in Petersburg by local police during a sting operation with assistance from the FBI.
The Petersburg Police Department got a report on June 2 that a resident had been targeted by phone scammers posing as federal officials. The victim told investigators that a fake Drug Enforcement Administration agent using the alias “Sean Watson” said her identity had been stolen, and convinced her to wire them nearly $80,000. Then, they convinced her to hand-deliver an additional $50,000 in cash to a person posing as a government agent in Petersburg on May 20. Investigators later identified the in-person individual as Mishra Utkarsh.
The victim has asked not to be named publicly at this time.
She was contacted by “Watson” again later and told to deliver an additional $60,000 cash to another “undercover agent,” according to charging documents. Her family alerted local authorities; law enforcement arranged the sting operation to control the in-person delivery and waited for the suspects to arrive in town.
Investigators saw Shubham Patel, 24, and Harshilkumar Patel, 22, arrive at the Petersburg airport on June 9 and scope the meeting place before redirecting the victim somewhere else.
Harshilkumar got the cash from the victim, and then law enforcement arrested both men.
According to investigators, Harshilkumar said he was recruited by Shubham shortly before traveling to Petersburg in June, but had reservations about being involved and claimed not to know the people giving him instructions for the exchange or what the money was for.
The investigation found Shubham’s name connected to a hotel stay in Petersburg with Utkarsh, a U-Haul rental, and thousands of dollars in gift cards and USPS money orders purchased locally in Petersburg in May.
The two arrested suspects are citizens of India and not related. Both Shubham and Harshilkumar face felony charges in the state of Alaska for scheme to defraud and first-degree theft. Through a translator, the co-defendants heard their charges on June 10 during a joint first-appearance hearing at the Petersburg Courthouse. They remain in custody in Juneau under different bail amounts and representation.
Petersburg Magistrate Judge Rachel Newport set Shubham’s bail at $300,000 total; he opted to find his own legal representation. Newport set Harshilkumar’s bail at $100,000 total, noting his alleged later involvement; he opted to have a public attorney assigned to his case. The public defender’s office in Juneau did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The victim didn’t wish to speak for the record during the hearing on June 10.
A preliminary hearing for both men is scheduled for June 20 at the Petersburg Courthouse with Magistrate Judge Kimberly Rice.
The Petersburg Police Department said this is an ongoing investigation and is looking to make additional arrests. In a press release, the department credited the FBI, Ketchikan District Attorney’s Office, Juneau District Attorney’s Office and other agencies for their cooperation.
Resources for avoiding scams are available online from the FBI.